Serum Leptin Levels in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Objective: To investigate the serum leptin levels in patients with allergic rhinitis during the symptomatic period.

Study Design And Setting: A randomized, prospective study was performed on 26 adult patients with allergic rhinitis and 20 control subjects with similar age, sex and body mass index in a tertiary otolaryngology center.

Results: Leptin levels were 28.8 +/- 14.1 ng/mL in the patients with allergic rhinitis, and 20.8 +/- 13.5 ng/mL in the control group respectively. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (p = 0.04).

Conclusion: Serum leptin levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with allergic rhinitis in symptomatic period.

Significance: Apart from its primary role in the regulation of body weight and energy expenditure, leptin may have a role in the inflammatory process of the allergic rhinitis.